These Are The 10 Most Boring Cities In America

What are the sleepiest, dullest big cities in the country? Try to stay awake as we look at the top 10.

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Here in the U.S., we make it a point to try to be bigger and better than everyone else. We’re all about parties, thrills, adrenaline, and a larger-than-life attitude. No one would really call this country boring.

Well, actually, maybe a few people would. Who? Anyone living in one of the Movoto Real Estate Blog’s 10 Most Boring Cities. According to our findings—a mix of statistical analysis based on cold, hard data we call Saturday Night Science—that dubious lineup is topped off (or is that bottomed out?) by Lubbock, TX. Here’s how the whole snorefest looks:

How did these cities get there? Where do other places rank? All your questions and more will be answered in the next section, and, if charts don’t bore you too much, you can see the 50 most yawn-inspiring places ranked at the end of this post.

How We Created This Ranking

First, we made a list of the 100 most populated places in the U.S. There are a lot of boring little places, of course, but we’re looking just at the heavy hitters here.

We then collected data from the U.S. Census (2010) business listings in categories we picked to measure excitement (or lack thereof). We weren’t able to get all the data on a few places, such as Paradise, NV, so spots like that got off lucky and didn’t make our list. The criteria we used were:

Percentage of restaurants that are not fast food (the higher the better)

Percentage of young residents ages 18 to 34 (the higher the better)

Population density (the higher the better)

After that, we ranked each place from one to 100, with 100 being the most boring a place could get. Then, we averaged each place’s rankings into one Big Deal Score, with the highest number being the most boring. Unfortunately, that place was Lubbock.

Now, before you get all up in arms about this ranking, let’s reassure you of something: We’re not saying any of these places are bad. We’re not saying the people who live there aren’t great folks, and we’re not saying that no one should move there. This is meant to be a bit of light-hearted fun, so try to keep a smile on your face and not take any of this personally. Sound good?

Now, if we haven’t bored you to death yet, let’s look at some places which might just do that.

The name of our No. 1 city even sounds like the place is lounging around doing nothing, and that really isn’t far off. This spot had very low population density, and a slightly older population, despite the fact that it’s home to Texas Tech University.

Lubbock isn’t exactly full of culture either, as the arts per capita ranked 73rd and the music venues per capita ranked 83rd. Where Lubbock really took a nosedive was in the dining department, so much so that it ranked dead last in the non-fast food restaurant category (fast food is borrrring).

The one thing this city didn’t totally fail at was nightlife, where it ranked a pretty middle-of-the-pack 58th. We guess if you’re an older college student who isn’t into art, who’s living on fast food and cheap drinks, Lubbock might be for you.

Okay, we’ve got to ask: What’s going on here? This city has Las Vegas in the name, shouldn’t it be full of thrills, sin, fun, and crazy? As it turns out, no, this place is absolutely none of that. Mostly, it’s just kind of a place where people live, and they’re not exactly the party type.

Only about 10 percent of the population was between the ages of 18 and 34, and the nightlife ranked 86th, so if you’re in your twenties and looking to party, this should not be a destination on your list. There were not many non-fast food restaurants, compared to cities of similar sizes, and there’s not much in the way of active life either.

On the bright side, residents have a ton of excitement right next door. So, while they may not be able to have a whole lot of fun in their hometown, they can forage for excitement in Sin City pretty easily.

At No. 3 we have a very pretty city, Chesapeake. It’s got a diverse population and even a thriving economy. However, it is also has a fat-lot of nothing to do.

To start, there was a distinct lack of nightlife and music venues. There were equally few arts amenities, and only a fair amount of active life options on top of that. So this wasn’t exactly an exciting spot, unless you’re really into swamps, birdwatching, or napping.

Did we mention that this place is home to a large portion of the Great Dismal Swamp? Yes, it’s really called that, and yes, we do think that’s fitting.

So you used to have the Dallas Cowboys. That’s cool and all, but they took off in 2010, and now what have you got in Irving? Not a whole lot, according to the data.

More than a fifth of the population was between the ages of 18 and 34, which gave this place a pretty youthful vibe. That’s depressing because there was next to no nightlife, music venues, interesting restaurants… really there was no sort of upbeat fun here.

We’ll give Irving credit for one thing though: It’s got a major international airport right there for anyone to use. The most interesting thing about Irving might be how easy it is to leave for someplace more fun.

Right off the bat, we’ll give Fort Wayne its due in a few areas. This place does have a ton of festivals and some really decent minor league sports. So, yeah, good for you guys on that stuff. But once you’re sick of those, there aren’t many alternatives.

The population was decidedly older, there was not much nightlife or fine dining options per capita, and there were very few music venues scattered throughout the city. This city is rather pretty, and if you’re looking for a place to kick back and relax there are worse places to go. But if you want to be wild and crazy and you’re not there during a festival, you’re probably out of luck.

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Texas, we need to talk. We know you like to see your cities highlighted on our ranking, but you’re by far the most represented state here, and this is the third spot in our top 10 you’ve nabbed. We’d tell you to curb your enthusiasm, but it looks like you’ve already got a handle on that.

Anyway, Plano might be a pretty pleasant and peaceful place to call home, but peaceful hardly equates to excitement. The nightlife ranked 93rd, and the music venues per capita ranked 97th. The non-fast food restaurants per capita ranked 77th, and the arts ranked 75th. Yes, this is a wealthy community with lots of schools, but a hub of partying and fun it is not.

Those concerned about any bias we might have for California cities, worry no longer. Let’s be blunt: This place isn’t doing too well right now. First it declared bankruptcy, and it’s now been ranked the seventh most boring place in the nation by us. Tough luck, guys—hopefully things will get better for you soon.

Still, we’re not singling this place out unfairly. There was little in the way of active life amenities here, and there wasn’t a ton of nightlife per capita either. There were a few music venues and some amount of young people, probably from the presence of the many colleges and universities in the area, but that’s not much.

Maybe you’ve heard this joke before: Time flies like an arrow and fruit flies like Stockton. Say it out loud if you’re having trouble getting it. That sort of stigma has really stuck with this city over the years, and now we know that at least the boring part is spot-on.

There were few non-fast food restaurants per capita, and pretty few arts options. There really wasn’t much in the way of nightlife or music when compared to similarly sized cities, so if you’re a night-owl you’ll be sorely disappointed here.

Easily the biggest place in our top 10, Mesa should have a ton of stuff happening, right? Wrong.

Besides having a pretty small young population, there was next to no nightlife variety here, and few music venues as well. There were not that many options as far as non-fast food restaurants either, so we hope you like burgers and fries if you want to call this place home. All in all, there was just nothing spectacular going on, and you’d better off heading to nearby Phoenix to party.

Finishing up our list is Laredo, the fourth Texas location on our list and a decidedly dull city right on the border with Mexico. Mostly, this place’s ranking had to do with a serious lack of culture. This city had the worst arts rank on our entire list and the third worst active life and nightlife rankings.

So, alternatively, why didn’t this rank as even more boring? Shockingly enough, this place had a pretty young population and few boring fast food restaurants. Also, we suppose it doesn’t hurt that Mexico is right next door in case you get hit with a bit of wanderlust.

Are You Yawning Yet?

Even reading the names of some of these places, especially Lubbock, can leave you feeling a little like napping .These may be very pretty, peaceful, and nice spots to call home, and you may absolutely love where you live, but you can’t honestly say they compare to the thrills you’d get in San Francisco, New Orleans, or really any other place in the nation.

Feel free to let us know in the comments if you think your hometown is more dull—just try to keep it interesting, please!
Featured Image Source: Flickr user Incase

Ok. I’ll give in on Lubbock. I just moved away from there, and it’s boring. However, you can’t really throw Irving and Plano into the mix like that. Those are land locked communities inside the DFW metroplex. People live in those towns, then scoot a few miles down the road to party in Dallas.

As a life long Lubbockite, I take exception to this. I think these people, who think we are so boring, have never even been to Lubbock. There is a LOT to do here. We have live theater and music, movie theaters, the ballet and our own symphony. We have many, many diverse restaurants, wineries (with tours), college sports and museums. We have a water park and an amusement park that is open all summer. There is much, much more, but I cannot list them all here. If you want more information about what our city has to offer, just visit this website.

Btw, Paul McCarney is having a concert here on June 14th and for opera fans, Renee Fleming will be here on September 9th. They are just the latest in a long, long line of celebrities that Lubbock has been host to. Your investigative skills leave a lot to be desired.

Why wouldn’t a couple of Dallas flops think Lubbock is boring…? I guess most of you are used to being spoiled with multiple sports teams, and god forbid you actually have to create something that is fun to do. You can go outside, their are a lot of canyons within a 45 mile radius of Lubbock. If it doesn’t involve a Kayne West concert it is so stupid and boring… 0% humidity most of the year and cool nights, we do have dirt storms during a drought and that isn’t boring.

Having lived in both Lubbock and Plano, I think this list is total garbage. Your information and stats are junk. And you have Dallas ranked significantly higher than Ft. Worth which proves my point even more.

It is very clear that Movoto and its staff have a problem with the state of Texas. Irving and Plano have a TON of year long activities, concerts and events. You’ve got to be kidding! Take Irving and Plano off this list. You definitely have NOT done your homework and you have not visited these great party cities.

Obviously this person is a moron and did not do any research. Stop pulling things out of your butt and do some reading. Lubbock is not boring, again obvious that you have never been. And then Anaheim? Really, I’m from so cal, Let’s see, Disneyland, The Angels, The Ducks? Moron….

Lubbock is a cultural, medical, educational, shopping, and entertainment hub for the West Texas, and Eastern New Mexico. Between Phoenix, AZ and Dallas, TX (E-W) Denver, CO to Mexico (N-S), Lubbock is the place to be. What this means is that a lot of your per-capita measures are thrown way off.

Lubbock has more restaurants than the population can support because Lubbock is a center for commerce and trade. You correctly identified that the itinerant nature of Lubbock patrons inflates quick meal options.

Lubbock averages more than 100,000 visitors each week *over 5 million a year.* That’s around 40% of the towns population just stopping by to play, shop, or conduct business EACH WEEK.

The average age of Lubbock is skewed, but not in the direction your data shows. Lubbock hosts four university campuses including Lubbock-Christian University, Wayland-Baptist University, Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, and of course TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY. More than 47,000 college students study in Lubbock! That is over 20% of Lubbock’s population. Many students claim residency elsewhere.

Don’t get me wrong. Lubbock’s vineyards and wineries are inconveniently just outside of the city limits. So Winos have a short journey to trek for tours and tasting.

For active living options Lubbock residents go hiking at Palo Duro Canyon less than 2 hours north, go scubba diving or swimming in the worlds largest spring fed swimming pool at Balmorhea State Park a short drive south of Lubbock. You might head west to hike the tallest mountain in Texas, Mt. Guadalupe, or cross the state line to New Mexico and visit the white sands national monument. If you wanted to head south-east to visit the Permian-basin for some outdoor hiking. Making Lubbock a hub for outdoor adventure.

Life on the Giant side of Texas is exhilarating, but I can understand why your data mislead you. Your measures don’t quite compensate for the unique qualities that accompany what is known as The Hub City.

But listen here, if you aren’t having a good time in Lubbock, we don’t want’cha! It’s not for everybody: Lubbock or Leave it.

Laredo is one of the cities with a unique culture because of the connection with Nuevo Laredo. If you havent live in Laredo, you have no right to say anything. If laredo is boring, why the community didn’t move to another city much better. Laredo is the gateway to Mexico. We are one of the most important cities because the communication we have with Mexico.

I agree totally with John Purcell. You were right on about everything that Lubbock and the surrounding areas have to offer. These people have obviously never been to West Texas or Lubbock. They are probably from New York or some where up North. I just get so upset when people like that talk ugly about Lubbock. Even all the famous singers that are from this area come back and say they love Lubbock. Mac Davis said the song “Lubbock in my rearview mirror” is now a joke for him. He wants to be buried here when he dies. He still loves Lubbock. So, if you don’t like us, then just go away. We don’t need you here. Just sayin’.

I actually moved from Fort Wayne and thought it was a boring place but the person who supposedly experienced Fort Wayne wrote things as if they didn’t really even go there. It’s as if they threw some darts around the country or possibly picked towns old movies joked about, like Animal House, then filled in some assumptions. Yes, i think my hometown is dull but this article says things that only someone who wasn’t there or didn’t try hard enough would say. I believe at one time Fort Wayne was recognized as having the most restaurants per square mile in the US, negating the dining comment, unless your a complete snob that only value’s a restaurant by the number of valets standing ready to park your snobmobile. As to the nightlife comment, although not a cultural mecca, there are way too many bar’s and each has their own niche. If the person investigated properly they would have found nightlife that anyone from redneck to ubersnob could enjoy.

This city has tons of live music and nightlife – you just have to know where to look. Stockton Symphony, Stockton Opera, University of the Pacific, Delta College, Miracle Mile to name a few. Yes, there are many chain eateries, but there a LOTS of small places (Chuck’s, Whirlow’s, Siamese Street). Again, you have to be there to really know. Plus the threat of death or bodliy harm is always exciting! Terrible research.

As you said, the connection with Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas but nothing more. The lack of culture, family oriented parks and recreations, infestation of animals abandoned all over the city, littered streets and not to mention the decayed downtown area which connects both cities, all of it lacks luster. The list goes on. And, yes I have a right to opine about your comment because I have lived there and moved away the first chance I got. Besides sharing Puente #1 and Puente #2, the twin cities don’t share more than the narcissistic needs of those who pretend to live like rich people do while ignoring the sad realities the city is saturated with. Laredo, offers nothing but an illusion, a mirage.

this fellow has absolutely no clue about Lubbock- for instance no non-fast food??? Has this person really visited Lubbock- some of the mexican and thai restaurants are so authentic- u wud not find that anywhere else. Yes living there for 4 years graduated with minimum student loan and secured a very well paid job—only cos this town was student friendly and we could survive as a student and earn an education without costing an arm and a leg…..these facts that are in here is absolutely stupid and baseless

Lubbock has a really interesting underground indie music scene. Most of it happens house shows and in basements(shout out to meat locker). The indie record label( middle child records) is excellent and the student run radio station is super up to date with independent music (not radio indie)of course no one knows about it unless they know the right people but it’s pretty bumping up there.

I lived in Lubbock Texas for five years. Now, at age 60, I wonder why I ever left there. Great quality of life, wonderful citizenry and so many things to do especially going West to the Southern Rockies on the weekends. I disagree with boring. There were so many things to do at so little cost. Having lived in Dallas for the past 27 years manifests the fact that Lubbock has a great deal to offer and I have every intention on making it my retirement home. To those who live in Lubbock. Take this with a grain of salt. No nothings live everywhere and this nasty rag proves just that. In fact, anyone who uses this site for real estate should pull away quickly. Do not feed this monster and just let it go. To all other cities listed, I am sure your cities are wonderful places to live and thrive. Once again, throw this article out with the bath water. There is no substance and it is obvious the research team on all articles related to this web site are sub-par writers.

Ummm pardon me everyone but Lubbock is not the only area in West Texas….you all forget El Paso is bigger and even has the Army;’s largest military base, a brand new 3A baseball stadium, 1 Tier univeristy candidate in UTEP and a brand new medical school….sorry to burst your bubble Mr. Purcell but El Paso is the hub of West Texas.

Lived in Lubbock. Hated every second. If you think the ethnic food is good, you should get out more. If mediocrity makes you happy and content, you’re in the right place. All swagger out there as long as the status quo is happy.

Wow! Some methodology here… If it were me I might have raked them against their relative populations. I would expect the cities listed with far more people than Fort Wayne to have more amenities.
It was kind of you to list that we actually DID have something going on here but, as the post by another citizen exemplifies, if one chooses not to engage a community they will never see the amenities. The same for wandering statisticians and journalists-maybe you might need to delve a bit more into communities before you damn them into obscurity.
Oh, and try picking on the ever-so-populace East and West coasts for awhile-for all your people, money and economy every city there should look like amusement parks (but they don’t).
As far as the negative comment from the resident here-get outside more. Try driving out of your sub-division and don’t hesitate to read the event calendars that are readily available.

Yeah Chesapeake may be boring if you don’t enjoy an outdoor lifestyle and are a city dweller. Our “nightlife” is a good bonfire get down, our recreation is hunting and fishing and who needs art when you got nature? That Great dismal swamp you speak of is alot better than some indie art gallery. Go see for yourself

This person obviously spent very little time in Lubbock…it is full if excitement, from high school to college sports (Wreck Em Tech!!!) to Texas Country Red Dirt music to cultural artsy entertainment. You mistake boredom for Good Ole West Texas comfort:)

Chesapeake is a bit boring based on the criteria you presented however, your picture is not from Chesapeake. (It is a picture of the Chesapeake Bay which is in Virginia Beach.) Chesapeake doesn’t need to have nightlight as the neighboring cities are very heavy in it (Norfolk & Virginia Beach)

Your anti-Texas vibe is very off putting. I notice that you have taken quite a few bedroom communities in the mix and not taken into consideration the proximity to larger cities that contain all the drama and excitement that one could desire, but then you include those in your list also.

I would suggest writing an article on something you know something about.

I am an “accidental” resident of Lubbock for the last 2+ years and yes it is boring…An Island in the high desert. There is no other big “city”in the 120 miles radius and Dallas Metroplex is 330 miles away. If this ranking is about “how much Lubbockites are happy with their lives here” then it may be inaccurate as many people living here haven’t seen what is around and they are happy and content with “what is available”. But then LUBBOCK is “BORING”.

Chesapeake, Va. boring?????? And one of the highest criteria was the number bars, etc… Chesapeake is a large farming city. I live in Chesapeake and I am like 10 to 15 minutes to any shopping, movies, etc. It is quiet at home and I love it….

Is John Purcell really serious? LMFAO! He claims Lubbock is a “Hub” because you can drive 250 miles south to a swimming pool? Saying Lubbock is a hub is simply admitting that there is very little to do there so you must go somewhere else. Kind of proves the point of the article. I hate to break it to John but there are very few if any places that you can’t just drive somewhere else to do something.

Vineyards? Hell ya, that’s daily entertainment right there!

I spent 15 years in Lubbock, and I like Lubbock but I find the “you can go somewhere else” argument silly.

I’m surprised that Chesapeake’s “active life” score wasn’t better considering how popular hunting and fishing are. I suppose you do have to leave the city limits to get to the exciting stuff. It’s dead on the lack of nightlife though, the city is actively drumming those kind of places out.

Paul McCartney and his band will be here Saturday. He’s starting his American Tour in Lubbock. I have no idea how this was rated, but suffice it to say…you have never been here, nor have you met the people. It’s one of the most welcoming places in the world.

I’ve lived in both Chesapeake and Irving and still have strong ties to both. Wanna know why they’re so “boring”? It’s because they’re SUBURBS of larger cities (Norfolk and Dallas, respectively), although Chesapeake is technically more independent of Norfolk than anything (long story).

You’ll find your nightlife in Norfolk/Virginia Beach or Dallas, and you find your quiet suburban life with strip malls and big box retailers in Chesapeake or Irving. I’m pretty sure that’s how it works in most regions.

And somehow Norfolk and Dallas somehow made it further onto the list, with a few other bigger cities. Enough to let me know not to take it very seriously.

I love living in Chesapeake and being bored! There are nice parks, restaurants and shopping areas. Our crime rate is lower than the other cities; none of our schools are below standards; our realestate and water rates are lower, etc. I piggyback on the fact we do not need the night life, noisy clubs and brawls….So all of you who want drama just drive to Norfolk, Va Beach, Portsmouth and Newport News.

I would like to thank whoever put this together. I lived in Fort Wayne for many years. To be categorized as not measuring up to the incredibly shallow standards upon which these cities are measured (…number of bars, so-called entertainment available to the least mature and self-absorbed members of our society…), then I wear as a badge of honor the association of being a native of such a place. In 1998 I moved about 35 miles west of there to rural Indiana. I still keep in contact with friends and with the richness of the culture there, not the least of which is their excellent symphony orchestra, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. I guess what we seek is a reflection of our innermost self. I would wish for the author of this post, indeed for everyone, that he/she finds it.

What a pompous line of absolute crap!!! I have lived in Portland, OR; Outside of Seattle, WA; and lived in Bloomington, IN (very hip college town). I have probably visited and spent more time in large cities than you have even been in (London, Cape Town, Paris, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, etc.).
I have also seen this ex-Rust Belt town (Fort Wayne) survive the abandonment of large corporations, White-flight and Brain-drain and it is coming around as a reinvention of itself into a very different and even hip kind of city with an amazing music scene and revitalizing downtown.
I suggest you look at the per capita income and population and gauge your criteria that way than just look at everyone else as “unenlightened” or “boring.”

Please don’t be suggesting people visit Nuevo Laredo for fun. You will get them killed if they head over there looking for “nightlife”. Very, very stupid comment and advise. Please change that paragraph – Nuevo Laredo is not a place you go to visit for fun. Cancun is fun, Nuevo Laredo is not safe.

This article is junk. The writer even misspelled adrenaline!! She obviously skewed results since damn near every major Texas city is on the list save for Houston and Austin!! This person clearly has a problem with the great state of Texas!

In my opinion, after living in several cities and countries “for work purposes, I ain’t rich. is not just Mesa Arizona but the whole Phoenix Metropolitan Area that is pretty bad. why?
Far away from everything, if you want to go to the Beach? 7 hours. It’s HOT as HELL from April thru Late Early November and I’m talking about 105 degrees every single day or sometimes 115 even 120 degrees and nights? 100 degrees, people can’t go to parks to have a picnic unless is January, kids have to wait until 8pm to go to a park. At least in other places people can walk outside go to parks, go hiking. People don’t wait for summer here, they avoid it because everyone has to hide. what do people do: go to the mall, the movies, restaurants or swimming pools that’s about it. or get drunk in some stupid bar.

What proves this list is a joke, is the number 11 on the list is Arlington,Tx home of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Texas Rangers Stadium, and Six Flags Over Texas! Not to mention The Highlands in south Arlington that has every restaurant you can think of.

It does appear that TX is overly represented in this category doesn’t it?

If my little corner of the state is any measure then I would have to say that the city fathers (mothers) planned it that way. Where I live, in the triangulation of Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Laredo there is no night life, no culture and pretty much no fun period. TPTB wish to keep it that way. The old oil/cattle money can afford to go to the city spread their money around. (SA or Corpus, most don’t go to Laredo for fear of Cartels) It seems to me that the “working class” cities and towns are kept quiet and as neutral as possible; best that the working class doesn’t know there is a real world out there lest they choose to leave and investigate.

I’ll admit that Laredo will get sort-of boring after a while, just like anywhere else will get boring after living there a long time, and compared to HUGE cities like San Antonio, it is pretty boring. But a two hour drive in any direction will get you to San Antonio, Corpus Christi, South Padre Island, and even closer Nuevo Laredo. I know Nvo Laredo is dangerous, but this wasn’t always so. Before the cartels starting going crazy it was a huge city with a ton of bars, clubs, festivals, “La Zona”, and best of all it was CHEAP. Fundamentally I believe this is one reason for the lack of such places in Laredo. However I think because of the cartels cutting the source of entertainment there have been more movie theaters, clubs, etc. popping up. I’m not saying it’s a REALLY fun place to live in but it certainly is getting better. And lastly all I can say is it all depends on personal preference. I’m 25 but I would much better prefer to spend my afternoon fishing with some friends drinking a few beers than spending it in a crowded bar with a ton of strangers. That’s just me.

I live in El Paso due to a family crisis…and being born and raised in Los Angeles, I know what boring is in comparison. People hate the truth and I can definitely see how the author has Texas cities as the majority for the most boring places because its the absolute truth.
Those who dont know what a boring city is really havent seen anything else outside of their boring city.